[Fic] Friends on the Other Side
Hi everyone! Sorry for the long wait; I know that you all are waiting for the next installment of "We Pause to Begin", so I thought I would post a quick Gwenter drabble I did for a meme back on my journal. The meme was essentially: Friends comment with that number between 1 and 2006 and a character or pairing, and I would write a ficlet based on the corresponding song on my ipod.
puck_the_elf responded and the number picked was "Friends On The Other Side" from Disney's "Princess and the Frog".
So here is the little ficlet (unbeta'd) for your entertainment. Hope you enjoy!
Rating: PG
Pairing: Gwendal x Gunter
Okay yeah...this fic is no where near the song, but it's what popped into my head. Oh Gunter, I wish you would go back and be a fabulous model...you definitely worked that catwalk ;)
***
There are a pair of cufflinks that Gunter wears that never fail to catch people's attention.
They "oooh" and "ahh" and bestow many compliments upon them, and beg to know where and how he came by the jewelry.
Gwendal knows where those things came from. Knows the answer to the questions Gunter refuses to give the jewelry's admirers.
It is not that Gunter is vain and doesn't want to share. It's a practical reason as to why he won't disclose the cufflinks' source: They're not of their world.
They're from his majesty's world; given to Gunter from one of those "designers" from when Gunter danced on a stage in different outfits for money.
A "model" is what they called him. And apparently he had been a good one too considering how successful Gunter had become in the brief time-span they had spent on Earth.
Gwendal had seen Gunter's performance, and to be honest, as stunning as Gunter had looked in the clothing (even the more revealing ones) Gwendal had not enjoyed the show. Whether or not he had to do with the pang of jealousy felt when women (and some men) fawned and pawed at Gunter as if he were some gift from he gods, or if it was the fact the whole production was stupid, Gwendal could not place the true feeling.
Okay. It was that he was jealous. He hated seeing those cufflinks, because they made Gwendal remember the lights, the screams, the fainting, people reaching out to touch Gunter...and Gunter's outward appearance that he was enjoying the attention.
Gwendal knows that Gunter thinks about his brief career and that he misses it often. Every now and then Yuuri brings back something called a "tabloid" that has an article with a picture of Gunter. Apparently the tabloids all speculate where Gunter has disappeared to : the older demon's apparent fates rage from being stranded on a remote island to something referred to as an "alien abduction". Despite the morbid theories, Gunter happily accepts the tabloids and toddles off with the foreign textured papers and puts it up in his quarters in his now growing collection of memorabilia.
Gwendal does not want Gunter to ever go back to those days. He doesn't want Gunter to expose his body to other eyes that are not Gwendal's.
But even then, Gwendal realises that he is not that selfish, because if anything Gwendal notices that Gunter only discusses those memories in detail with him.
For some reason, Gunter has decided that Gwendal is his confidant in this arena, and that gesture makes Gwendal stomp down on his jealousy (especially when Gunter is describing his forays into nude modeling) because it is touching that Gunter would want to share such an intimate detail of his life with Gwendal.
"Do you ever want to go back?" Gwendal asks one day as Gunter is describing his confusion as to why all the female models were skeletal in appearance ("I know his majesty says Earth is a wonderful and plentiful place, Gwendal...but I think is majesty doesn't realise that there may be poor girls who dance like I do to make money!...Although when I would buy and send food to their rooms, their managers would get mad at me! It is like they WANT to look like they are wasting away, can you imagine?!") and Gunter's verbal marathon comes to a halt.
He actually blushes, which Gwendal secretly finds adorable, and then looks shy about the whole matter as if it is a great admission for him to say it, "I don't know...I mean, I would like to...but I don't think I should; what with all that you and His Majesty need me for..."
Gwendal pretends that he is too interested in the document he is reading over to noticed that Gunter is unconciously fiddling with the cufflinks, "You should go. Take a vacation and come back. Apparently to people on Earth you disappear a lot, so they will be happy to see you."
Gunter's expression is happy, as if he had been waiting for someone to validate this hobby of his.
"Come with me."
Gwendal's quill nearly snaps from his shock, "Why?"
Gunter is flushing again, and he begins to babble: "Well, I mean I wouldn't want to go alone. I can't bother his Majesty to accompany me (not that he would) and I am not sure anyone else is interested (except maybe Yozak but he has missions...) and, well I think my manager would like you..."
"Like me?" Why in Shinou's name would Gunter want his manager to like him? Gunter answer's the question as if he was able to read Gwendal's mind:
"I think you'd look nice modeling with me."
This takes a moment to sink in and Gwendal takes a look outside at the snow covered grounds beyond his window and decides that it is the room, not his face, that is burning.
Gunter of course fills in the silence, "Well I am rather slender and my manager says my effeminate features are what draws men and women to my fanbase...but sometimes I feel posing with women is, well too much of the same thing. But you are tall, with classic masculine features. I think you and I would look stunning together."
Gwendal swallows a few times. This was new. Normally Wolfram and Conrad would garner these sort of observations...not him, the standoffish eldest with the constantly sour expression.
Gunter is leaning over the desk, making little movements with his hands that he has formed a view-finder with, "You're very attractive...I would buy a magazine with your picture on it...you wouldn't need to smile, just your normal glower would make you seem mysterious... desirable."
Gwendal makes an alarmed grunt, which seems to break Gunter's train of thought.
"Will you come?" The other's voice is giddy with excitement; Gwendal is so overwhelmed that he nods unconciously, and he doesn't know what his done until Gunter is disapearing out the door shouting that he is going to the temple to see Ulrike about setting up a portal for them, and that Gwendal needs to go to Annissina to get their translators.
Shinou help him, he swears, those damned cufflinks are a nuisence, and he goes about packing his things.
***
"No one can ever see these when he go home," Gwendal says tersely at the spread of photos of him and Gunter posed together, "Especially my mother."
Gunter makes a happy sound as he picks up the photos he particularly likes and lays them out in order, per his manager's wishes.
Gwendal can not help but feel self-conscious, even though Gunter's manager was practically thrilled when they showed up at his door, raved when Gunter introduced Gwendal as new "talent" and since their photo sessions, the man had assured Gwendal, that his and Gunter's partnership was an overnight success.
Apparently selling out those magazines in a short amount of time, was a measure of success here.
When the "fan mail" came over the next few weeks, Gwendal truly was at a loss of what this whole situation was about and he was ready to bolt for the paddle-pool in the Shibuya's yard, but the camera evidently "loved,loved, loved him", and so he and Gunter dutifully remained at the manager's studio.
And Gwendal had to admit, being Gunter's partner did has his perks, such as the private modeling sessions that were for Gwendal's eyes only...
Gunter yawned suddenly, stretching as he stood up to move towards his bed in his new brand's silk pajamas, pajamas that were in Gwendal's opinion, left little to the imagination, "We'd better get some sleep tonight. We have a busy day tomorrow before we 'disappear'."
The other demon looked more content than he had in months, despite the constant running around they had experienced. And suddenly Gwendal was glad they had done this, and happy that Gunter had shared this with him.
"Do you think I did well?" Gwendal asked, which made Gunter chuckle with laughter,
"Are you being funny, Gwendal dear? Of course you did. My goodness, you are all they talk about now," Gunter was leaning over him, closer than Gwendal was normally comfortable with, "You're very desirable in these photos. Sexy."
And then, Gunter placed a kiss to Gwendal's cheek, "Partners, for the next time?"
"And if I refuse?'
Gunter pouted, "Then I won't come back...I do not want to be looked at without you by my side."
Gwendal swallowed, his gaze dropping from Gunter's seductive expression to a photo of the two of them, shirtless, with Gunter laying atop of Gwendal's chest, their contrasting skin and aloof gazes piercing the viewer. He felt himself shiver. It would be a shame to give this side to Gunter up. But now that they were on the subject and in closer company, Gwendal had to ask:
"Will we be partners when we return home?"
"Of course," was Gunter's breathy response, as his hands rand up and down Gwendal's matching silk pajamas, unbuttoning the top few buttons so that his pale hand to slip inside to caress Gwendal's skin, "I see a very promising partnership in our future...
Gwendal felt a swell of pride, as he gripped Gunter's hips to pull the other closer for a kiss that Gunter was all to eager to partake in.
The next evening the world was saddened to hear that Gunter had disappeared yet again, this time taking his new partner with him.
According to the tabloid that Yuuri would bring a few months later (and that Gwendal would hide where his mother's prying eyes would never find) the pair were last seen in a neighborhood in Japan, wearing costumes for an assumed fantasy military-themed photo-shoot before the crew had lost sight of them.
It was noticed, however, that the pair were sporting matching cufflinks.
puck_the_elf responded and the number picked was "Friends On The Other Side" from Disney's "Princess and the Frog".
So here is the little ficlet (unbeta'd) for your entertainment. Hope you enjoy!
Rating: PG
Pairing: Gwendal x Gunter
Okay yeah...this fic is no where near the song, but it's what popped into my head. Oh Gunter, I wish you would go back and be a fabulous model...you definitely worked that catwalk ;)
***
There are a pair of cufflinks that Gunter wears that never fail to catch people's attention.
They "oooh" and "ahh" and bestow many compliments upon them, and beg to know where and how he came by the jewelry.
Gwendal knows where those things came from. Knows the answer to the questions Gunter refuses to give the jewelry's admirers.
It is not that Gunter is vain and doesn't want to share. It's a practical reason as to why he won't disclose the cufflinks' source: They're not of their world.
They're from his majesty's world; given to Gunter from one of those "designers" from when Gunter danced on a stage in different outfits for money.
A "model" is what they called him. And apparently he had been a good one too considering how successful Gunter had become in the brief time-span they had spent on Earth.
Gwendal had seen Gunter's performance, and to be honest, as stunning as Gunter had looked in the clothing (even the more revealing ones) Gwendal had not enjoyed the show. Whether or not he had to do with the pang of jealousy felt when women (and some men) fawned and pawed at Gunter as if he were some gift from he gods, or if it was the fact the whole production was stupid, Gwendal could not place the true feeling.
Okay. It was that he was jealous. He hated seeing those cufflinks, because they made Gwendal remember the lights, the screams, the fainting, people reaching out to touch Gunter...and Gunter's outward appearance that he was enjoying the attention.
Gwendal knows that Gunter thinks about his brief career and that he misses it often. Every now and then Yuuri brings back something called a "tabloid" that has an article with a picture of Gunter. Apparently the tabloids all speculate where Gunter has disappeared to : the older demon's apparent fates rage from being stranded on a remote island to something referred to as an "alien abduction". Despite the morbid theories, Gunter happily accepts the tabloids and toddles off with the foreign textured papers and puts it up in his quarters in his now growing collection of memorabilia.
Gwendal does not want Gunter to ever go back to those days. He doesn't want Gunter to expose his body to other eyes that are not Gwendal's.
But even then, Gwendal realises that he is not that selfish, because if anything Gwendal notices that Gunter only discusses those memories in detail with him.
For some reason, Gunter has decided that Gwendal is his confidant in this arena, and that gesture makes Gwendal stomp down on his jealousy (especially when Gunter is describing his forays into nude modeling) because it is touching that Gunter would want to share such an intimate detail of his life with Gwendal.
"Do you ever want to go back?" Gwendal asks one day as Gunter is describing his confusion as to why all the female models were skeletal in appearance ("I know his majesty says Earth is a wonderful and plentiful place, Gwendal...but I think is majesty doesn't realise that there may be poor girls who dance like I do to make money!...Although when I would buy and send food to their rooms, their managers would get mad at me! It is like they WANT to look like they are wasting away, can you imagine?!") and Gunter's verbal marathon comes to a halt.
He actually blushes, which Gwendal secretly finds adorable, and then looks shy about the whole matter as if it is a great admission for him to say it, "I don't know...I mean, I would like to...but I don't think I should; what with all that you and His Majesty need me for..."
Gwendal pretends that he is too interested in the document he is reading over to noticed that Gunter is unconciously fiddling with the cufflinks, "You should go. Take a vacation and come back. Apparently to people on Earth you disappear a lot, so they will be happy to see you."
Gunter's expression is happy, as if he had been waiting for someone to validate this hobby of his.
"Come with me."
Gwendal's quill nearly snaps from his shock, "Why?"
Gunter is flushing again, and he begins to babble: "Well, I mean I wouldn't want to go alone. I can't bother his Majesty to accompany me (not that he would) and I am not sure anyone else is interested (except maybe Yozak but he has missions...) and, well I think my manager would like you..."
"Like me?" Why in Shinou's name would Gunter want his manager to like him? Gunter answer's the question as if he was able to read Gwendal's mind:
"I think you'd look nice modeling with me."
This takes a moment to sink in and Gwendal takes a look outside at the snow covered grounds beyond his window and decides that it is the room, not his face, that is burning.
Gunter of course fills in the silence, "Well I am rather slender and my manager says my effeminate features are what draws men and women to my fanbase...but sometimes I feel posing with women is, well too much of the same thing. But you are tall, with classic masculine features. I think you and I would look stunning together."
Gwendal swallows a few times. This was new. Normally Wolfram and Conrad would garner these sort of observations...not him, the standoffish eldest with the constantly sour expression.
Gunter is leaning over the desk, making little movements with his hands that he has formed a view-finder with, "You're very attractive...I would buy a magazine with your picture on it...you wouldn't need to smile, just your normal glower would make you seem mysterious... desirable."
Gwendal makes an alarmed grunt, which seems to break Gunter's train of thought.
"Will you come?" The other's voice is giddy with excitement; Gwendal is so overwhelmed that he nods unconciously, and he doesn't know what his done until Gunter is disapearing out the door shouting that he is going to the temple to see Ulrike about setting up a portal for them, and that Gwendal needs to go to Annissina to get their translators.
Shinou help him, he swears, those damned cufflinks are a nuisence, and he goes about packing his things.
***
"No one can ever see these when he go home," Gwendal says tersely at the spread of photos of him and Gunter posed together, "Especially my mother."
Gunter makes a happy sound as he picks up the photos he particularly likes and lays them out in order, per his manager's wishes.
Gwendal can not help but feel self-conscious, even though Gunter's manager was practically thrilled when they showed up at his door, raved when Gunter introduced Gwendal as new "talent" and since their photo sessions, the man had assured Gwendal, that his and Gunter's partnership was an overnight success.
Apparently selling out those magazines in a short amount of time, was a measure of success here.
When the "fan mail" came over the next few weeks, Gwendal truly was at a loss of what this whole situation was about and he was ready to bolt for the paddle-pool in the Shibuya's yard, but the camera evidently "loved,loved, loved him", and so he and Gunter dutifully remained at the manager's studio.
And Gwendal had to admit, being Gunter's partner did has his perks, such as the private modeling sessions that were for Gwendal's eyes only...
Gunter yawned suddenly, stretching as he stood up to move towards his bed in his new brand's silk pajamas, pajamas that were in Gwendal's opinion, left little to the imagination, "We'd better get some sleep tonight. We have a busy day tomorrow before we 'disappear'."
The other demon looked more content than he had in months, despite the constant running around they had experienced. And suddenly Gwendal was glad they had done this, and happy that Gunter had shared this with him.
"Do you think I did well?" Gwendal asked, which made Gunter chuckle with laughter,
"Are you being funny, Gwendal dear? Of course you did. My goodness, you are all they talk about now," Gunter was leaning over him, closer than Gwendal was normally comfortable with, "You're very desirable in these photos. Sexy."
And then, Gunter placed a kiss to Gwendal's cheek, "Partners, for the next time?"
"And if I refuse?'
Gunter pouted, "Then I won't come back...I do not want to be looked at without you by my side."
Gwendal swallowed, his gaze dropping from Gunter's seductive expression to a photo of the two of them, shirtless, with Gunter laying atop of Gwendal's chest, their contrasting skin and aloof gazes piercing the viewer. He felt himself shiver. It would be a shame to give this side to Gunter up. But now that they were on the subject and in closer company, Gwendal had to ask:
"Will we be partners when we return home?"
"Of course," was Gunter's breathy response, as his hands rand up and down Gwendal's matching silk pajamas, unbuttoning the top few buttons so that his pale hand to slip inside to caress Gwendal's skin, "I see a very promising partnership in our future...
Gwendal felt a swell of pride, as he gripped Gunter's hips to pull the other closer for a kiss that Gunter was all to eager to partake in.
The next evening the world was saddened to hear that Gunter had disappeared yet again, this time taking his new partner with him.
According to the tabloid that Yuuri would bring a few months later (and that Gwendal would hide where his mother's prying eyes would never find) the pair were last seen in a neighborhood in Japan, wearing costumes for an assumed fantasy military-themed photo-shoot before the crew had lost sight of them.
It was noticed, however, that the pair were sporting matching cufflinks.